What people say about Max Dashu and her work

"Max Dashú writes with lucidity and a compelling awareness of the silencing of women in male-centered cultures—especially women’s silencing in patriarchal religion. Max has spent decades excavating the exceptionally rich materials—linguistic, archaeological, mythological—found in this book, and uncovering clues to the spiritual spheres of pre-patriarchal women. A true tour de force!" —Miriam Robbins Dexter, professor of Indo-European studies at UCLA, and author of Whence the Goddesses: a Source Book, and Sacred Display: Divine and Magical Female Figures of Eurasia

“Reading this book [Witches and Pagans] is like opening a box filled with jewels left to you by ancestors you never knew you had. The sheer number of facts and suggestions of facts is overwhelming. ... Thank you, Max for your brilliant work. May it change the way we see the world!” —Carol Christ, author of Goddess and God in the World: Conversations in Embodied Theology; Rebirth of the Goddess; and She Who Changes.

I have known many smart and impressive feminists in my decades of teaching, writing, and activism, and I don’t know anyone who is quite the fount of knowledge that Max is. Her depth of perspective and breadth of historical and cultural information is quite literally without compare. --Rebecca Whisnant, Director of Women’s and Gender Studies, Dayton University

“Max is one of the most knowledgeable and dedicated researchers, artists, teachers I know. She has been addressing cultural kinship with great respect, sensitivity, and generosity.” --Yeye Luisah Teish, Iyanifa, Ilé Orunmila Oshun  

“For the past 40+ years, Max has relentlessly pursued the stuff textbooks, mainstream colleges, and standard history narratives don't tell you about—women's spiritual history and cultural heritage from a global perspective. She has collected thousands of images of women and the Divine Feminine and protected them in the Suppressed Histories Archives. In addition, Max has produced videos, posters, and online classes. Max's work fills an abyss in history, anthropology, and women's spirituality. She is a true gift to to the world!”—Sridevi Ramanathan

"Your presentation was outstanding. As always, the depth of your knowledge and your command of the subject is truly incredible. You made the subject come alive. Second only to your wealth of knowledge is your wonderfully personable presentation style. You effectively draw your audience into an intimate dialogue to examine the issues. The students responded so well that we extended the presentation to allow time for the very spirited discussion. They were still discussing some of those ideas days later. Please accept my gratitude for presenting a truly remarkable program." --Patricia Grady, PhD, California State University-Sacramento

"Your dedication and phenomenal research is richly inspiring. We commend and thank you for your many years of research and your tireless work that will nourish and strengthen many women and men to work toward a more egalitarian society. --Terri Duclos and board of Sophia's Portico, Ft Wayne IN

“I am renewed and recharged by your great work. All so beautifully presented.” –Shan Jayran, Women and Religion scholar, Britain

“The importance and impact of your work is immeasurable. Thank you for your dedication and vision.” —Karla Robinson, director of Tapestry, San Francisco program for at-risk girls

I absolutely love the work you have been doing. Thank you for investing so much time and energy. It is deep and insightful. --Ayele Kumari

I really appreciate your site. I have learned so much. As a woman trying to undo all of the male dominated damage perpetrated on my Afro-Caribbean mind, soul and spirit, a part of my healing is coming from this site. Again. Big thank you and many blessings. --Angela Williams

"You are not exagerrating when you say 'a thoroughly global view'! You are a wealth of knowledge and your passion about your work shines through. It was a great way to close Women's History Month!" --Kathy Fluckiger, Women's Center, University of Connecticut -Storrs

"Incredible work not found anywhere in the world, highly recommended..." - Bernedette Muthien, Engender, South Africa

“My whole crew was awed by your presentation. I believe, and so did the others, that the DVD you are creating is very important, Max. I laud you for your many talents and your years of loving dedication to the service of women, and thus service to us all.” –Judith Hand, author of Women, Power, and the Biology of Peace

"We recently hosted Max Dashu's riveting visual presentation, Female Rebels and Mavericks, here at Dimond. The response to her program by one of our largest audiences for an adult program was overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Max's comprehensive knowledge of countless courageous women spanning the ages and continents is astounding, and the unique visual documentation she has collected brings these important figures to life. Our patrons are already asking us to invite her back." --Jane Courant, Dimond Library, Oakland CA

“Impressive research on realities long overlooked and ignored... a most informative and stimulating session.” --Rosario Guerrero, Center for the Study, Education and Advancement of Women, University of California-Berkeley (1984)

"Thanks for everything you brought to the conference, Max. Your opening extravaganza set a high bar for the days to come. I was totally impressed." --Bethe Hagens, Association for the Study of Women and Mythology

“I think what you are doing is so very, very important. You are an ongoing inspiration. Thank you so much…” –Carolyn Gage, award-winning lesbian playwright

“Max thank you so much for all the incredible research you’ve done all these years! Was blown away by the presentation! … I want to tell you that your work is an invaluable, huge, and profound contribution to all women on this planet, and consequently to all people of the world that will long outlive you! I deeply appreciate and give thanks for you and all you do.” —Lenn Keller, butch lesbian filmmaker (www.apersistentdesire.com)

"Your presentation last night was absolutely awesome. We are all so much better for your efforts. You are truly a national treasure.." - Avotcja Jiltonrio, Boricua poet and musician, San Francisco

“I am truly stunned by the range and depth of your knowledge and vision. …It's amazing—all that you have uncovered, collected—put together—it is absolutely stunning. It is very powerful and so much more extensive than anything I've seen before. Thank you for this important work.” —Gloria Orenstein, professor of Literature and Gender Studies, University of Southern California

"I just rewatched your DVD, Women's Power. I just want to say again that it is sooooo great. Your work is magnificent." --Akiba Onada-Sikwoia

“ You have clearly done your research, and I learned more about women cross-culturally and across history in an hour than I ever would have dreamed possible.” --Dr Sally Roesch Wagner, historian and director of Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation

“… what most amazed me … is your incredible synthesis of material from cultures and chronologies spanning the globe… you have a vast corpus of material to draw from and I think that that breadth of detailed knowledge, combined with ‘pattern formation,’ is one of the strongest methodologies for the ‘recovery’ of suppressed histories.” Leslie Gamble, University of Florida

“Thank you for all that you do. Know that I value you and your work very highly… Thanks for being in the world, in my lifetime.” —Luisah Teish, author and founder of Ile Orunmila Oshun

“I hold all your work as a breathtaking and vital accomplishment for one lifetime! It helps us remember and construct the importance of our past, present and future.” Deborah Grenn, director of the Lilith Institute and founder of Mishkan Shekhinah

"Muchisimas gracias por su valiosa participacion, logro que las mujeres entraran en confianza y hablaran de sus vivencias diarias y callando este peso por temor a que la familia se destruya. Gracias de todo corazon; para mi el mejor trabajo es el que sale de uno mismo y eso fue lo que se hizo el viernes en la presentacion que nos reflejaramos en las imagenes y que tengamos compasion de nosotros y de como estamos subyugados a una historia de violencia opresora en donde el derrotado somos la humanidad misma." --Maria Claudia Guerrero, director, Good Samaritan program for immigrant women

“I do love your scholarship! I can't wait to see Vol. I [of The Secret History of the Witches]” –Miriam Robbins Dexter, UCLA professor, author, and expert in Indo-European studies

“Max… how grateful I am to you for holding the ground all these years and building the work you have. The website is superb. Such an incredible service.” –Carol Flinders, author of Enduring Grace, and At the Root of This Longing

“I have the profoundest respect for your work, and am always heartened by it.” –Bernedette Muthien, Engender NGO, Capetown South Africa

"Tu trabajo es sencillamente maravilloso. No termino de sorprenderme. Cuenta con mi colaboración." --Tania Rosario Mendez, Puerto Rico

“Mi querida Max! I’m here at the Permanent Forum of Indian Peoples meeting at the UN in NYC, thinking about the many things we could start or harvest here. Just to tell you that your presence and work illuminates the horizon like a radiant comet…that surely announces a new era!!!”
—Nina Herencia, Peruvian scholar

“I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your articles on Suppressed Histories. I am teaching a class on Black Indians in which we discuss different histories that led up to the creation of Black Indians. I printed up copies of “Racism, History and Lies” and gave them to my students so we could discuss them at length. Thank you.” --Ananda Sattwa, University of California – Berkeley

“Seeing your slide presentation was the kind of experience that confirms years of hope and suspicion about the history of women specifically and people of color in general.” Ajay Revels, African-American Student Services, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, 1988

"Students haven't stopped talking about your presentation! You are doing great work, and a role model of persisting in doing your important research on a subject that I realize, more and more, has, indeed,  been very suppressed." --Lucia Chiavola Birnbaum, Ph.D (author, professor, and co-founder of Ethnic Studies dept, SF-State University) 

“Hafa adai Max, I loved the video clip and want to buy a copy of ALL your work. So well done and such a great topic. Thank you for your work.” ---Shannon Murphy, Chamorro historian and editor of Guampedia.com

“The slideshow was amazing. I think that your work is invaluable; it certainly has caused me to think differently both about history and the present.” --Brenda Myers, Northwestern University Women’s Center

“Women are still talking about the slideshow here. It’s really exciting. Everyone was really impressed.” --Judy Andrew, University of Victoria, BC, Canada

“Your research is critical for women of our time! ...I am most interested in looking as far back up the stream as possible to glimpse some of the roots of women’s sacred culture... sometimes the most archaic elements are on (or just beneath) the surface—to be recognized if we have eyes to see. You have those eyes.” –Joan Marler, Institute of Archaeomythology

“I have received many rave compliments on your slide presentations and your knowledgeable expertise. Muchísimas gracias!” --Lidia Brown, Siskiyou County Public Library, Yreka CA

“We were all impressed with Max’s slides and accompanying consummate knowledge. My students clearly understood and enjoyed them. They were with her every step of the way... a tremendous resource.” --Gary Glassman, South Fork High School, Miranda, CA, January, 1998

“alafia, may your ancestrix bless you, you are doing and have done blessed work!” in peace, iya meri-adeola, Africana Spirituality Studies and Consultations, Seattle <www.fonspiritualcenter.org>

“Your gorgeous website… powerful, numinous, glowing, magical, chthonic, profound, transformative, intelligent.. one of the most impressive, authentic and beautiful sites on the WWW.” –Mara Freeman, artist

"Gracias, Max! Toda esta información es valiosísisma.Es tan importante que alguien nos devuelva el recuerdo de lo que fuimos para empezar a planear lo que seremos, lo que ya empezamos a ser." --Jana de Madrid, producer, Conferencia de la Diosa

“A very important and necessary perspective on women’s issues and history.” --Kate Stinger, Stanford University Women’s Center

Thank the Creator, thank the Goddess, thank the Gods, thank the Ancestors for who you are and what you do. Your presentation was a beautiful entity, which keeps alive the seeds of what was, what is, and what the next seven generations of women will bring. …The emotion of lost dreams now found reverberated throughout the room. It felt as if we were all in a great womb, hearing the mother’s heartbeat, and hearing her stories, stories that many of her daughters have never heard, because their mother’s voice was torn out from them, long before the daughters were born. I was moved to tears. Thank you from the depths of my soul for the beautiful presentation you brought the world last night. Walk in Beauty always sister. Ashé! Ashé! Ashé!”–Ariane Alexander, after the 35th Annivesary Suppressed Histories slideshow with drums and music

“Listen, after a hard day of testerone immersion, Women’s Power has become my favorite ‘chick flick’ -- helps me rebalance. It is so wonderful to watch; each woman is like a facet of a jewel. Your work and the DVD is a gift to the world.” --Chris Kammler, drama therapist

"I just wanted to express my gratitude to you and to thank you for your empowering and important work in the realms of women's spirituality/Goddess studies. Congratulations on your 40 years of researching, investigating, uncovering, recovering, discovering and reclaiming all the many buried, hidden, silenced information on the Divine Female. Your work is deeply appreciated." --Mary Saracino, writer

"Kathy Jones of Glastonbury Temple and Lydia Ruyle (sacred banners) are here in Maui for a workshop. We all spoke of you today and of the incredible contribution you are making." --Apela Colorado, founder, Worldwide Indigenous Science

“Nothing less than brilliant.” --Ashley Sinclaire, Women's Center, Cal State University, Sacramento

“You are a gifted and intelligent woman, and it was a delight to learn from you. I think you are a national treasure.” –Cerina Targum, UU congregation, Walnut Creek CA

“Peace, I don't know you but thanks for being here, we need this.” --Arbra Tawwab, via the SHA website

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